A desperate mother has travelled halfway around the world in a bid to locate her daughter.
Carma Elia (Waikato) left her home in Perth last week for Türkiye, trying to get as close as possible to the Iranian border in the hope of being reunited with her baby, Yasamin.
Despite warnings from her whānau and New Zealand officials in Türkiye, she’s considering entering the war-torn country to find her baby.
“It’s very frightening... I’ve gotta hold strong for my daughter. I’ve travelled this far, and before leaving, actually, I told myself, I’m not coming back until I get my daughter. Even if I have to go to Iran,” she said.
Yasamin is currently in Karaj, approximately 44 kilometres northwest of Tehran, a region now considered within the range of Israeli long-range weapons.
Speaking to Te Ao Māori News from a hotel in Türkiye, Carma says she’s holding onto hope and faith.
When Yasamin was born, Carma says she was going through a difficult period. With her daughter’s Iranian-born father nearing the end of his temporary Australian visa, the pair agreed he would take Yasamin back to Iran. They left Perth in November 2024.
Carma says there are no formal custody arrangements, but the pair had agreed Yasamin would return to her this month, a plan now complicated by the war.
She adds that Yasamin is a citizen of New Zealand and Iran by descent, and Australian by birth. Carma has been desperately seeking support and guidance to assist in her daughter’s return.
With limited communication into Iran and growing regional instability, Carma says her options are rapidly shrinking.
“When you’re in a situation where your babies are in danger and it’s life or death, you’ll do anything.”
Tensions in the region escalated again overnight. On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump, alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, announced a ceasefire. However, new reports confirm Iran has resumed missile attacks on Israel.
Carma says she’s been in regular contact with New Zealand officials based in Türkiye. They’ve advised her to register Yasamin’s movements on official government platforms, but beyond that, she says, support has been limited.
In a statement, an MFAT spokesperson says that they’re unable to provide information on specific cases for privacy reasons.
“There are currently 139 New Zealanders registered with SafeTravel as being in Iran. We are aware that some New Zealanders have departed via land border crossings and may not have been able to update their SafeTravel details, so these numbers can be expected to fluctuate”
“There is ongoing disruption to phone and internet connectivity throughout Iran. Despite these challenges, MFAT emergency response teams continue to work around the clock to provide consular support to New Zealanders in Iran, including via regular proactive outreach by phone, email and WhatsApp to those that are registered with us”
